1. The story contains many metaphors in reference to passing over the course of the novel. Most of them consist of discussing the dangers of passing such as, “There were things that she wanted to ask Clare Kendry. She wished to find out about this hazardous business of "passing,"”(15). As the story goes on the passing begins to take on many different meanings (layers) depending on the situation. Passing is also seen as a way to liberate yourself from “white power”, which many of the characters understand because of the scrutiny black women are under in society, but at the same time leaving your race and betrayal to your origins. Passing gains many different meanings throughout the novel but all of them tie back together to the general idea
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Race is used in the novel to create suspense and tensions between characters not as a social issue. Race being used as suspense can be seen throughout the novel and is most present in the relationship between Clare and her husband, John. The passing by Clare and Irene also shows the difference in how different races are treated in the time period and how their experiences differ in society. The relationship between Clare and her husband is made very suspenseful by Clare hiding her race and origins because of John openly being a racist white male and if he ever found out about Clare’s race, which he does, the result would be rage and chaos. The relation of race to subjective experience in the text can be seen in the opening scenes of the book when Irene is passing at a restaurant and sees Clare. The quote, “Instead, it was Irene who was put out. Feeling her colour heighten under the continued inspection, she slid her eyes down. What, she wondered, could be the reason for such persistent attention? Had she. In her haste in the taxi, put her hat on backwards? Guardedly she felt at it. No. Perhaps there was a streak of powder somewhere on her face. She made a quick pass over it with her handkerchief. Something wrong with her dress? She shot a glance over it. Perfectly all right. What was it?”(17-18), exemplifies how that being a white woman versus a black women can lead to many benefits. A white woman can dine at any restaurant she pleases to while black or mixed women, like …show more content…
The narrative ending at the end of the novel was to add more emotion to the ending than there already was from the reader. The narrative ending shows the emotion of Irene, actively upset and confused by the death of Clare, making the end of the novel that much more powerful. The novel refuses to acknowledge the cause and the person at fault of the death to keep the ending open to interpretation and to shroud Clare in even more mystery than she already was. Keeping the ending open to interpretation allows the rage and fury of John finding out his wife was actually passing as white and Irene’s anger and emotion towards Clare to be remembered when looking back on the book. If the reason and person responsible for Clare’s death was given some of the emotions of the characters would be dismissed while only the killers would be
Race is used in the novel to create suspense and tensions between characters not as a social issue. Race being used as suspense can be seen throughout the novel and is most present in the relationship between Clare and her husband, John. The passing by Clare and Irene also shows the difference in how different races are treated in the time period and how their experiences differ in society. The relationship between Clare and her husband is made very suspenseful by Clare hiding her race and origins because of John openly being a racist white male and if he ever found out about Clare’s race, which he does, the result would be rage and chaos. The relation of race to subjective experience in the text can be seen in the opening scenes of the book when Irene is passing at a restaurant and sees Clare. The quote, “Instead, it was Irene who was put out. Feeling her colour heighten under the continued inspection, she slid her eyes down. What, she wondered, could be the reason for such persistent attention? Had she. In her haste in the taxi, put her hat on backwards? Guardedly she felt at it. No. Perhaps there was a streak of powder somewhere on her face. She made a quick pass over it with her handkerchief. Something wrong with her dress? She shot a glance over it. Perfectly all right. What was it?”(17-18), exemplifies how that being a white woman versus a black women can lead to many benefits. A white woman can dine at any restaurant she pleases to while black or mixed women, like …show more content…
The narrative ending at the end of the novel was to add more emotion to the ending than there already was from the reader. The narrative ending shows the emotion of Irene, actively upset and confused by the death of Clare, making the end of the novel that much more powerful. The novel refuses to acknowledge the cause and the person at fault of the death to keep the ending open to interpretation and to shroud Clare in even more mystery than she already was. Keeping the ending open to interpretation allows the rage and fury of John finding out his wife was actually passing as white and Irene’s anger and emotion towards Clare to be remembered when looking back on the book. If the reason and person responsible for Clare’s death was given some of the emotions of the characters would be dismissed while only the killers would be